'He thoroughly deserves it': Fifita endorses Lodge for Origin

Andrew Fifita has given a glowing review of Matt Lodge's comeback, asking the public to "trust" his leadership skills ahead of a possible State of Origin debut for NSW.

Having coached the controversial prop during his under-16s season with Patrician Brothers in Blacktown, Fifita says Lodge "thoroughly deserves" selection and believes it would be a great "input in his life" after a troublesome few years.

Lodge was controversially allowed to return to the game at the start of the 2018 season, signing with the Brisbane Broncos after avoiding a prison sentence in the United States over a New York home invasion in 2015.

"It would mean the world to me seeing Matty in that jersey," he said. "From where he has come from to where he is today ... I just feel like he’s leading the pack, he’s really leading their young side."

Advertisement

Fifita said his close friend had been doing a number of things off the field to turn his life around, including volunteering at soup kitchens.

"I just know how hard he has worked, just the little things in the public which no one sees, but us family members see what he does," he said. "The coaching he does ... he travels down from Brisbane to Penrith comp just to run water when he’s home."

Having stood by Lodge during his return to NRL, as well as his time in rehabilitation, Fitita admitted he "laughed" when he first heard of Lodge's commitment to sobriety.

"For someone like Matt Lodge to quit drinking ... to be honest ... I thought he would crack," he said. "To be given something like [Origin], a game like that, it would mean the world to him."

Blues coach Brad Fittler last November named Lodge in his 23-man Emerging Blues squad, which has been the launchpad for Origin stars in the past. Fifita is confident Lodge would assist a depleted Blues front row.

"There’s a lot of us out, especially players not in form," he said. "To be honest if I was a coach I’d be going with in-form players."